Whatever draws us into the forest—be it birdwatching or logging, hiking or hunting—all of us are unified by the sense of wonder we feel in the outdoors. The forests, fields, and streams of our region are full of mystery, and if you stop and look closely, you’ll see all sorts of oddities.
Below find a picture of one such woodlands curio. Guess what it is and you’ll be eligible to win a Northern Woodlands woodpecker magnet designed by artist Liz Wahid. A prize winner will be drawn at random from all the correct entries. The correct answer, and the winner’s name, will appear when the next column is posted and in our newsletter (sign up here!).
This polypore shelf fungus was found on a large aspen tree in Vermont. But what’s that living inside?
Forked fungus beetle larvae, which hatch on the surface of polypore shelf fungus, burrow down, and then create galleries inside the fungus. Multiple generations will live on one fungus.
This week’s contest winner was Delia Kaye of Concord, MA